Functions

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Functions are the building blocks you use to design streams in UsageCloud. By dragging functions from the library onto the canvas and connecting them, you define how data is collected, processed, and delivered across your system.

Functions are organized into three main types:

Collectors, which bring data into the stream from external sources
Processors, which transform and enrich data as it flows through
Forwarders, which send the resulting data to downstream systems and destinations. This page gives an overview of these function types and how they fit together when you build streams.

Most functions follow this pattern, but there are a few exceptions, such as the Count function (classified as a Collector) and the No operation function (classified as a Forwarder), which are primarily used in demo and testing scenarios rather than for regular data ingestion or delivery.

This page also serves as an entry point to all function‑specific documentation, with links to each function’s detailed page below.

Note!
All collectors and forwarders support ZIP files up to version 4.5 (which includes Zip64 support for archives with 4GB+ files). There is no support for encrypted (password-protected) zips or symlinks.

Function icons and data flow

Function icons use small arrows to show the direction of data flow and identify the function type. Collectors have an arrow on the right side, Processors have arrows on both sides, and Forwarders have an arrow on the left side.

Collector, processor, and forwarder functions

Note!
Functions that are labeled as Beta can be used as well, but their user interface and functionality may change over time. Data loss or improper handling of data may also happen. Use them with caution.

Note!
During the development of UsageCloud, functions are sometimes replaced by more flexible and extended versions. As the development teams strive to make transitions between versions as seamless as possible, the common approach is to migrate any existing configurations without the need for manual intervention. We use the term deprecate to indicate that the new version of a function most likely will not be completely backward compatible with the previous function.

The process of deprecation is as follows:

A new version of a function is developed and ready for launch.
The old version is flagged with the word "Deprecated".
During a transition period, both versions co-exist, which allows sufficient time for migration.
The old version is removed from UsageCloud.

Configuration and preview

When you double-click a function, you open the window where you configure the function and preview data that is being collected, processed, or forwarded by the function.

All entries are autosaved. To check that your configuration is valid, click Preview to generate a preview.

Note!
Even if you do not click Preview before you exit a configuration, your entries are saved. If you want to clear all of the entries that you have added to a configuration, you need to delete the function and drag the relevant function to the canvas again to reconfigure.

After configuring any function in UsageCloud, clicking Preview enables you to view input and output preview data for that function. Across all functions in UsageCloud, the input and output preview data displayed depend on the function type. Refer to the table below for more information:

Function type	Preview data displayed

Function type	Preview data displayed
Collector	Output
Processor	Input and Output
Forwarder	Input

Preview data is displayed in three different views:

View type	Description

View type	Description
Table	Displays data in a tabular format. Data is flattened or denormalized if needed so that even deeply nested JSON data can be viewed in the column/row structure.
Tree	Displays data in the JSON format.
Log	Displays data regarding info, warning, and error messages. The Log view is only available for output preview data and not for input preview data.

Note!
When the preview data is generated, a maximum of 10 records is displayed.

Hint!
Hover the cursor over the function icon to see a tooltip with a brief description of the function. Click See documentation to navigate to the relevant function documentation.

Function actions

When you hover over a function on the stream canvas, three action icons appear beneath it: Edit, Copy and Delete.

Edit - opens the configuration dialog where you can view and change the function settings.
Copy - duplicates the function and its current configuration.
Delete - removes the function from the stream.

Function action icons

Function reference

Each function has its own documentation set with detailed information about configuration, input and output data, examples, and usage notes. Use the links below to open the documentation for a specific function and learn more about how to use it in your streams.